Photographic element containing acrylic latex polymers

ABSTRACT

Multilayer photographic elements with improved sensitometric properties are disclosed. In one aspect, this invention relates to a multilayer photographic element comprising a support, 1) at least one layer containing a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion and a synthetic polymeric acrylic latex material and 2) at least one additional layer positioned outward from said support with respect to any light-sensitive silver halide layer comprising a synthetic polymeric acrylic latex, wherein said additional layer comprises a silver halide and a hydrophilic colloid material which is substantially free of synthetic polymeric acrylic latex micelles.

United States Patent 3,022,169 2/1962 Heckelmann et a1. 96/1 143,369,901 2/1968 Fogg et a1. 96/114 3,488,708 1ll970 Smith 96/843,450,536 6/1969 Wyckoff 96/68 Primary ExaminerNormun G. TorchinAmt/stun! Iixumt'm'r-Jldward (T. Kimlin Almrneys -W. H. J. Kline, B. I).Wicsc and A. P. Rosenberg ABSTRACT: Multilayer photographic elementswith improved sensitometric properties are disclosed. In one aspect,this invention relates to a multilayer photographic element comprising asupport, 1 at least one layer containing a lightsensitive silver halideemulsion and a synthetic polymeric acrylic latex material and 2) atleast one additional layer positioned outward from said support withrespect to any lightsensitive silver halide layer comprising a syntheticpolymeric acrylic latex, wherein said additional layer comprises asilver halide and a hydrophilic colloid material which is substantiallyfree of synthetic polymeric acrylic latex micelles.

PHOTOGRAPIIIC ELEMENT CONTAINING ACRYLIC LATEX POLYMERS This inventionrelates to a method for improving image pro perties of multilayerphotographic elements. In a specific aspect, this invention relates to amethod for improving image properties of multilayer photographicelements comprising high-contrast silver halide emulsions,

It is known that synthetic latex polymers used with gelatin as bindervehicles for silver halide emulsions impart certain photographicproperties such as dimensional stability, flexibility, etc. It is alsoknown that certain substances such as matting agents can be incorporatedin outer layers of photographic elements to affect surfacecharacteristics of the element. However, photographic elementscontaining synthetic latex polymers or matting agents often demonstratepinholing or areas where no silver is present in maximum density regionsafter processing. Moreover, surface gloss of the element is often toohigh where synthetic polymeric latexes are used in various layers of theelement.

An improved photographic element is desirable which incorporates theadvantages obtained with the synthetic polymeric latex materials and thematting agents without the often observed inherent disadvantageous sideeffects such as pinholing and high surface gloss.

We have now found a way to improve the photographic properties ofmultilayer photographic elements which generally comprises incorporatingoutward from a support with respect to a light-sensitive silver halideemulsion layer a solutionpenetrable layer comprising a silver halideemulsion layer a solution and a binder vehicle consisting essentially ofproteinaceous compounds and the like.

The practice of our invention results in a photographic element havingdecreased surface gloss, elimination of pinholes, increased maximumdensity and the like. Pinholes are unsensitized points of very lowdensity in the high-density region of a photographic image.

In one embodiment, said photographic element comprises a support, (1) atleast one layer comprising a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion anda synthetic polymeric latex material and (2) at least one additionallayer positioned outward from said support with respect to anylight-sensitive silver halide layer comprising a synthetic polymericlatex wherein said additional layer comprises a silver halide and ahydrophilic co]- loid material which is substantially free of syntheticpolymeric latex micelles.

In one preferred embodiment, the nonlatex-containing layer contains ahigh silver halide to vehicle ratio, by weight.

In another embodiment, said synthetic polymeric latex is an acrylicinterpolymer comprising units having water-solubilizing groups thereon.

In a preferred embodiment, said light-sensitive layer comprises ahigh-contrast silver halide emulsion.

In another embodiment, this invention results in multilayer photographicelement comprising a support, a light-sensitive silver halide layer, agelatin interlayer and an over-coat layer comprising a water-permeableresinous material and a matting agent.

l-lydrophilic colloid materials which can be used in the practice of theinvention include those water-permeable binder vehicles which aresubstantially free of polymeric latex micelles. These micelles arecolloidal particles which are suspended in a colloidal dispersion by lowconcentrations of soluble groups (e.g., carboxylic, hydroxyl, etc.) inthe polymer and said micelles can be observed as discrete particles inphotomicrographs of the binder vehicle. Hydrophilic colloids suitable asbinder vehicles include proteinaceous compounds such as, for example,gelatin, colloidal albumin and other hydrophilic colloids such as, forexample, polyvinyl compounds, cellulose derivatives, acrylamidepolymers, etc., though gelatin materials are preferred. Thehigh-molecular weight binder vehicles which are generally consideredsoluble in aqueous solutions and do not form small discrete particleswhen mixed with an aqueous gelatin emulsion, as can be determined uponobservation of a photomicrograph, can be considered hydrophilic colloidsfor purposes of this invention.

The synthetic polymeric latex materials referred to herein are generallypolymeric materials which are relatively insoluble in water compared towater-soluble polymers, but have sufficient water solubility to formcolloidal suspensions of small polymeric micelles, Typical latexpolymeric materials can be made by rapid copolymerization with vigorousagitation in a liquid carrier, such as the common bonfirepolymerization, of at least one monomer which would form a hydrophobichomopolymer and at least one monomer which would form a hydrophilichomopolymer. In certain preferred embodiments, from about 1 to about 30percent, by weight, of units of monomer containing thewater-solubilizing group is present in the copolymer product. Copolymersprepared by this method and analogous methods provide discrete micellesof the copolymer which have low viscosities in aqueous suspensions.Typical useful copolymers include interpolymers of acrylic esters andsulfoesters as disclosed in Dykstra, U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,911 issued Nov.19, 1968, interpolymers of acrylic esters and sulfobetains as describedin Dykstra and Whiteley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,41 1,912 issued Nov. 19, 1968,interpolymers of alkyl acrylates and acrylic acids as disclosed in Reamand Fowler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,289 issued Nov. 22, 1966, interpolymersof vinyl acetate, alkyl acrylates and acrylic acids as disclosed inCorey, U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,169, and interpolymers as disclosed in Smith,U.S. Ser. NO. 525,272 filed Dec. 20, 1965, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,790issued Aug. 5, I969. Polymeric latex materials can also be made by rapidpolymerization with vigorous agitation of hydrophobic polymers whenpolymerized in the presence of high concentrations of surfactants whichcontain water-solubilizing groups. The surfactants are apparentlyentrained in the micelle and the solubilizing group of the surfactantprovides sufficient compatibility with aqueous liquids to provide adispersion very much like a soap. Generally good latex materials arealso disclosed in Nottorf, U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,568 is sued July 28,1964; White, U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,386 issued July 6, 1965; Houck et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,674 issued Nov. 6, 1962; and Houck et al., U.S. Pat.No. 3,220,844 issued Nov. 30, 1965.

The synthetic polymeric latex materials are generally polymerized inmanner to produce micelles of about 1.0 micron average diameter orsmaller to be highly useful in photographic emulsions and preferably thediscrete micelles are less than 0.3 micron in average diameter.Generally, the micelles can be observed by photomicrographs whenincorporated in gelatino emulsions; however, it is understood that somecoalescing can occur when the emulsions are coated and dried.

In one embodiment, the latex polymers which can be used according tothis invention are acrylic interpolymers, i.e., those interpolymersprepared from polymerizable acrylic monomers containing thecharacteristic acrylic group Such polymers are conveniently prepared bythe interpolymerization of an acrylic monomer with at least onedissimilar monomer which can be another acrylic monomer or some otherdifferent polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer. It is, ofcourse, understood that the acrylic interpolymers employed in thepractice of this invention are compatible with gelatin and have a Tg ofless than 20 C. (Tg can be calculated by differential thermal analysisas disclosed in Techniques and Methods of Polymer Evaluation, Vol. 1,Marcel Dekker, Inc., N.Y., 1966) In one embodiment, preferredinterpolymers which can be used in this invention comprise units of analkyl acrylate such as, for example, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate,propyl acrylate, butyl acrylates (e.g., n-butyl or t-butyl acrylates),amyl acrylates, hexyl acrylates and the like. Acrylic interpolymerscontaining units of acrylic acid or a sulfoester acrylate are especiallyuseful in the process. Typical polymers of this type are copoly(butylacrylate-acrylic acid), copoly(methyl acrylate-acrylic acid),copoly(ethyl acrylate-acrylic acid), copoly(butyl acrylate-sulfopropylacrylate) and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the copolymercomprises up to about 30 percent, by weight, of acrylic acid or thesulfoester acrylate; especially good results being obtained with latexalkyl acrylate copolymers having up to about 20 percent, by weight, ofthe acrylic acid or the sulfoester acrylate. High ratios of solubilizinggroups, such as the acrylic acid groups or the sulfoester groups producea more soluble solution-type polymer with respect to water carriersolvents and therefore preferably concentrations of about to about 25percent by weight are utilized to provide the better latex polymers,depending on the molecular weight of the monomer unit. Mixtures of themore soluble solution-type polymers and the latex polymers can also beused within the scope of this invention to achieve the desired emulsioncharacteristics. The acrylic interpolymer generally comprises at leastpercent and to about 99 percent, by weight, of the binder vehicle forthe emulsion. In the preferred embodiments, the binder vehicle comprisesfrom about to about 75 percent of the acrylic interpolymer and fromabout 75 percent to about 25 percent, by weight, gelatin of the totalbinder. Generally the emulsion comprises less than 100 grams of gelatinper mole of silver halide in the emulsion to permit fast drying times ofthe developed emulsion. Preferably the emulsion comprises less than 75grams of gelatin per mole of silver halide.

In another preferred embodiment of this invention, the above-mentionedcopolymers contain units of a third monomer. Exceptionally good resultsare obtained in the process of this invention when the syntheticpolymers comprise units of (l alkyl acrylates, (2) acrylic acid orsulfoester acrylates and (3) an acrylic monomer unit having activemethylene groups in side chains such as in malonic ester groups,acetoacetic ester groups, cyanoacetic ester groups or l,3-diketonegroups such as disclosed in Smith, U.S, Ser. No. 625,593 filed Mar. 24,1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,708 issued .Ian. 6, 1970. Typical polymersof this class include copoly(ethyl acrylate-acrylicacid-Z-acetoacetoxy-ethyl methacrylate), copoly(butyl acrylate-sodiumacryloxy propane sulfonate-Z-acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate), copoly(methyl acrylate-sodium acryloyloxypropane sulfonate-2-acetoacetoxyethylmethacrylate), copoly(butyl acrylate-acrylic acid-Z-cyanoacetoxyethylmethacrylate) and the like and mixtures thereof. The copolymers of (1)alkyl acrylates and (2) acrylic acid or the sulfoester can also containunits of (3) sulfobetaines, N-methacryloyl-N'-glycylhydrazinehydrachlorides, 2-[Z-methacryloyloxy-ethyl]isothiouroniurn methanesulfonate and the like. Typical copolymers having sulfobetaine unitsinclude copoly(butyl acrylate-acrylic acid- 4,4,9-trimethyl-8-oxo-7-oxa-4-azonia-9-decenel -sulfonate) and the like.

Certain embodiments of this invention relate to a photographic elementcomprising a support, (1) a light-sensitive layer containing a latexpolymer, (2) an additional layer (or interlayer) coated over saidlight-sensitive layer wherein said additional layer is substantiallyfree of synthetic latex micelles and (3) an overcoat containing amatting agent. The combination structure provides improved imageproperties as compounds compared with a similar arrangement which doesnot contain the interlayer between the latex-containing layer and thematting agent-containing layer. Typical good matting agents which areuseful in this embodiment include ground glass, silica, polymethacrylatebeads such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,322,037 and the like. Theoverlayer can generally contain any resinous binder material, but ispreferably waterpermeable to allow penetration of processing solutions,and in certain embodiments it is one of the hydrophilic colloidspreviously mentioned and is preferably a proteinaceous composition.

The emulsions used in this invention can contain, for example, silverbromide, silver chlorobromide, silver chlorobromoiodide and the like. Inone embodiment of this invention, the light-sensitive silver halideemulsions highly useful in multilayer lithographic elements are those inwhich the halide is predominantly chloride, i.e., at least 50 molepercent chloride. Silver halide emulsions in which the halideconcentration is at least mole percent chloride and photographiccontrast is high are preferred.

The additional layer (or interlayer) of the invention which comprises ahydrophilic colloid and a silver halide, but which is free of syntheticpolymeric latexes, can contain light-sensitive silver halides asdisclosed hereinabove, or said layer can contain a silver halide whichis substantially insensitive to light. This additional layer preferablycontains a high silver halide to hinder vehicle ratio. Generally a ratioof at least I part of silver halide for every 5 parts, by weight, ofbinder vehicle and preferably ratios of at least 1:3 are utilized inthis layer to achieve low-gloss characteristics. a

The light-sensitive layer in the multilayer photographic element of thisinvention can contain a high-contrast emulsion which is sensitized usingany of the well-known techniques in emulsion making, for example, bydigesting with naturally active gelatin or various sulfur, selenium,tellurium and/or gold compounds. The emulsions can be sensitized withsalts or noble metals of Group VIII of the Periodic Table which have anatomic weight greater than 100, The emulsions can also contain addendawhich increase speed and/or contrast such as quaternary ammonium salts,polyethylene glycols, thioether sensitizers or combinations thereof.

The light-sensitive silver halide emulsion of the multilayerphotographic elements of the invention can conveniently beorthosensitized or pansensitized with spectral sensitizing dyes. Forinstance, these emulsions can be spectrally sensitized by treating witha solution of a sensitizing dye in an organic solvent. Sensitizing dyesuseful in sensitizing such emulsions are described, for example, in U.S.Pats. Nos. 2,526,632 of Brooker and White issued Oct. 24, 1950, and2,503,776 of Sprague issued Apr. 11, i950. Spectral sensitizers whichcan be used are the cyanines, merocyanines, complex (trinuclear)cyanines, complex (trinuclear) merocyanines, styryls and hemicyanines.

The various layers of the multilayer photographic elements of theinvention can also contain conventional addenda such as gelatinplasticizers, coating aids, antifoggants such as the azaindines andhardeners such as aldehyde hardeners, e.g., formaldehyde, mucochloricacid, glutaraldehyde bis(sodium bisulfite), m'aleic dialdehyde,aziridines, dioxane derivatives and oxypolysaccharides.

The silver halide emulsion of the high-contrast photographic elements ofthe invention can be coated on a wide variety of supports. Hydrophiliccolloid layers can be coated on one or both sides of the support, ifdesired. Typical sup ports are cellulose nitrate film, cellulose esterfilm, polyvinyl acetal film, polystyrene film, poly(ethyleneterephthalate) film, and related films or resinous materials, as well asglass, paper, metal and the like. Supports such as paper, which arecoated with a-olefin polymers, particularly polymers of aolefinscontaining two or more carbon atoms, as exemplified by polyethylene,polypropylene, ethyl copolymers and the like, can also be employed.

This invention is further illustrated by the following examples.

EXAMPLE I Sample 1 An orthochromatically sensitized silverchlorobromoiodide gelatin emulsion containing mole percent chloride,9-mole percent bromide and l-mole percent iodide is coated on apoly(ethylene-terephthalate) polyester support at 456 mg.

silver/foot and 270 mg. gelatin/foot? In addition to the gelatin bindervehicle, the emulsion also contains the synthetic latex, copoly(methylacrylate-sulfopropyl acrylate-Z- acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate) (90:5:5by weight) having an average micelle size of 0.2 micron, at 200 mg./ft.,a coating aid and a hardening agent.

A gelatin layer is coated over the emulsion layer at a rate of 85 mg.gelatin/foot? Polymethacrylate beads having an average diameter of 3microns are dispersed at a rate of 14 mg./ft. in the gelatin layer.

An antihalation gelatin layer is coated at a rate of 500 mg.gelatin/foot on the side of said support opposite the emulsion side. Theantihalation layer also contains the vinyl polymer given above andcoated at a rate of 180 mg./ft. polymethacrylate beads coated at 52mg./ft. a coating aid and a hardening agent.

Sample 2 A multilayer photographic element is prepared as described insample 1 with the following exceptions. A gelatin interlayer coated atthe rate of 85 mg. gelatin/foot is coated between the light-sensitiveemulsion layer and the gelatin overcoat layer. The gelatin interlayercontains suitable coating aids and hardening agents. The top or overcoatlayer is reduced from 85 mg. gelatin/foot to 42 mg. gelatin/foot? Sample3 A multilayer photographic element is prepared as described in sample 2with the exception that a silver chlorobromoiodide emulsion (90:9: 1) isincorporated in the gelatin chlorobromoiodide The interlayer is thencoated at a rate of l 1.2 mg. silver/foott and 77 mg. gelatin/foot?Sample 4 A photographic element is prepared as described in sample 3with the exception that the coverage of the interlayer is changed to22.4 mg. silver/foot and 74 mg. gelatin/foot.

Sample 5 A photographic element is prepared as described in sample 3with the exception that the coverage of the interlayer is changed to33.6 mg. silver/foot and 62 mg. gelatin/foot.

The above samples are exposed to a step wedge through a magenta contactscreen to a tungsten light source, developed in Kodak Developer D-85given below, fixed, washed and dried.

Kodak Developer D-85 Sodium sulfite 30.0 grams Paraformaldehyde 7.5grams Sodium bisullite 2.2 grams Boric acid 7.5 grams Hydroquinone 22.5grams Potassium bromide 1.6 grams Water to make 1 liter pH 10.1

Sensitometric properties of Samples 1 through 5 are set forth in Table 1below:

The gloss values reported above are readings taken in the maximumdensity (Dmax) area of the exposure. A number of lower value indicatesless gloss.

Results indicate that lower gloss and higher maximum density areobserved in photographic elements comprising the interlayer of ourinvention.

EXAMPLE 2 Sample 6 A multilayer photographic element is prepared asdescribed in sample 1 with the exception that the emulsion layercontains an orthochromatically sensitized fine grain silverchlorobromide emulsion (:20) and is coated at 512 mg. silver/foot and151 mg. gelatin/foot". The vinyl polymer used in sample 1 is coated at320 mg./ft.

Sample 7 A multilayer photographic element is prepared as described insample 1 except that an interlayer comprising an orthochromaticallysensitized fine grain silver chlorobromide emulsion (80:20) is coated atmg. silver/foot and mg. gelatin/foot between the light-sensitive silverhalide layer and the overcoat layer. Silver coverage in thelight-sensitive silver halide layer is reduced to 412 mg. silver/footThe above samples are exposed and processed as described in example 1.

Sensitometric results similar to those given in Table l are set forthbelow.

Similar improvements in gloss are obtained when latex polymerscopoly(ethylacrylate-acrylic acid) (90:10) and copoly(ethylacrylate-sulfopropyl acrylate) (87:13) are incorporated into thelight-sensitive layerv Although the invention has been described inconsiderable detail with particular reference to certain preferredembodiments thereof, variations and modifications can be effected withinthe spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A multilayer photographic element comprising a support, (1) at leastone layer containing a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion and asynthetic polymeric acrylic latex material and (2) at least oneadditional layer positioned outward from said support with respect toany light-sensitive silver halide layer comprising a synthetic polymericacrylic latex, wherein said additional layer comprises a silver halideand a hydrophilic colloid material which is substantially free ofsynthetic polymeric latex micelles.

2. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex is an acrylic interpolymer comprisingwater-solubilizing groups thereon.

3. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein saidsilver halide emulsion in said light-sensitive layer is a high-contrastemulsion.

4. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein thesilver halide in said additional layer is substantially less sensitiveto light than the silver halide in the said light-sensitive layer.

5. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein saidhydrophilic colloid is gelatin.

6. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein thehydrophilic colloid in said additional layer consists essentially of aproteinaceous compound.

7. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex material is in the form of micelleshaving an average size of less than i micron.

8 A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex is copoly(methyl acrylate-sulfopropylacrylate-Z-acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate 9. A multilayer photographicelement according to claim 1 wherein said additional layer contains aratio of silver halide to hydrophobic colloid of at least 1:4 by weight.

10. A multilayer photographic element comprising a support, (1) at leastone layer containing a lighbsensitive silver halide emulsion and asynthetic polymeric acrylic latex material, (2) at least one interlayerpositioned outward from said support with respect to any light-sensitivesilver halide layer comprising a synthetic polymeric acrylic latex,wherein said interlayer comprises a silver halide and a hydrophiliccolloid material which is substantially free of synthetic polymericlatex micelles, and (3) an overcoat layer positioned outward from saidsupport with respect to said interlayer, wherein said overcoat comprisesa water-permeable resinous material and a matting agent.

11. A multilayer photographic element according to claim wherein thesilver halide in said interlayer is substantially less sensitive tolight than the silver halide in the said light-sensitive layer,

12. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 10 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex is an acrylic interpolymer comprisingwater-solubilizing groups thereon.

13. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 10 wherein saidsilver halide emulsion in said light-sensitive layer is a high-contrastemulsion.

14. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 10 wherein thehydrophilic colloid in said additional layer is a proteinaceouscompound.

15. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 10 wherein saidhydrophilic colloid is gelatin.

16. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 10 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex material is in the form of micelleshaving an average size of less than l micron.

17. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 10 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex is copoly(methyl acrylate-sulfopropylacrylate-Z-acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate 18. A multilayer photographicelement according to claim 10 wherein said additional layer contains aratio of silver halide to hydrophilic colloid of at least l :4 byweight.

UNHED STATES PATENT OFFHCE ERTEHATE @P QQRREUHQN Patent No. 3,632,342{Dated January 4, 1972 Inventor) Eugene D. Salesin and Robert C. HarveyIt is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 30, "silver halide emulsion layer a solution and abinder" should read a silver halide and a binder;

Column 4, line 64, "ethyl copolymers" should read --ethylene-butenecopolymers-.

Signed and sealed this 10th day oi October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.,l'*LE'lCHER,JRo ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

2. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex is an acrylic interpolymer comprisingwater-solubilizing groups thereon.
 3. A multilayer photographic elementaccording to claim 1 wherein said silver halide emulsion in saidlight-sensitive layer is a high-contrast emulsion.
 4. A multilayerphotographic element according to claim 1 wherein the silver halide insaid additional layer is substantially less sensitive to light than thesilver halide in the said light-sensitive layer.
 5. A multilayerphotographic element according to claim 1 wherein said hydrophiliccolloid is gelatin.
 6. A multilayer photographic element according toclaim 1 wherein the hydrophilic colloid in said additional layerconsists essentially of a proteinaceous compound.
 7. A multilayerphotographic element according to claim 1 wherein said syntheticpolymeric acrylic latex material is in the form of micelles having anaverage size of less than 1 micron.
 8. A multilayer photographic elementaccording to claim 1 wherein said synthetic polymeric acrylic latex iscopoly(methyl acrylate-sulfopropyl acrylate-2-acetoacetoxyethylmethacrylate).
 9. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 1wherein said additional layer contains a ratio of silver halide tohydrophobic colloid of at least 1:4 by weight.
 10. A multilayerphotographic element comprising a support, (1) at least one layercontaining a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion and a syntheticpolymeric acrylic latex material, (2) at least one interlayer positionedoutward from said support with respect to any light-sensitive silverhalide layer comprising a synthetic polymeric acrylic latex, whereinsaid interlayer comprises a silver halide and a hydrophilic colloidmaterial which is substantially free of synthetic polymeric latexmicelles, and (3) an overcoat layer positioned outward from said supportwith respect to said interlayer, wherein said overcoat comprises awater-permeable resinous material and a matting agent.
 11. A multilayerphotographic element according to claim 10 wherein the silver halide insaid interlayer is substantially less sensitive to light than the silverhalide in the said light-sensitive layer.
 12. A multilayer photographicelement according to claim 10 wherein said synthetic polymeric acryliclatex is an acrylic interpolymer comprising water-solubilizing groupsthereon.
 13. A multilayer photographic element according to claim 10wherein said silver halide emulsion in said light-sensitive layer is ahigh-contrast emulsion.
 14. A multilayer photographic element accordingto claim 10 wherein the hydrophilic colloid in said additional layer isa proteinaceous compound.
 15. A multilayer photographic elementaccording to claim 10 wherein said hydrophilic colloid is gelatin.
 16. Amultilayer photographic element according to claim 10 wherein saidsynthetic polymeric acrylic latex material is in the form of micelleshaving an average size of less than 1 micron.
 17. A multilayerphotographic element according to claim 10 wherein said syntheticpolymeric acrylic latex is copoly(methyl acrylate-sulfopropylacrylate-2-acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate).
 18. A multilayerphotographic element according to claim 10 wherein said additional layercontains a ratio of silver halide to hydrophilic colloid of at least 1:4by weight.